X-Wing pilot (Ep IV; VI), Y-Wing pilot (Ep IV)

X Wing Pilot – A pilot, sometimes called a flyboy, directly controlled the operation of a vehicle while located within the same craft. A pilot was often assisted by a copilot, navigator, astromech droid, weapons officer, or other crew members. The term “pilot” was applied across vehicles used on land or in water, air, and/or space. The military designation for a pilot was PL-1. Whether this applied to all pilots or only starfighter pilots is unknown. On smaller ships, the word pilot and captain were interchangeable, but on larger vessels, the pilots were rarely the commanders of the vessels.

Mandarin-style with pointed tab closure. Collar closes from left to right with the exposed tab on the right side of the throat

Cuffs should close in a similar fashion as the Mandarin-style collar

2. Mid-calf black boots (Jack boots or engineer boots are acceptable)

Leather pull-on style preferred with low heels

Boots should be largely unadorned. No laces or ankle buckles (small buckle at top edge of boot allowable if covered by blousing)

No non-black zippers. Any zipper closure must either be hidden or on the inside of the boot (that is, front and outside zippers are not permitted)

High-Calf boots are acceptable with sufficient blousing of the flightsuit legs

3. Silver/grey leg flares in an olive drab or black leg-band holder

Maximum of 8 flares per holder

Flares and flare holder should be approximately 4″ (inches) long

Metal leg flares are preferred, but other materials are permitted as long as, when finished, give the appearance of being silver metallic in appearance

Leg flares should be spaced equidistant around the leg

Leg flares can be worn on either leg and should be positioned to so the bottom edge of the leg flare is resting on the top of the boot (that is, no gap between the flare holder and the top of the boot)

4. Light grey/silver grey ejection harness and web belt

Harness and belt are made of strapping material that is 2” (inches) wide

Front and back straps extend up the torso under the flack vest and are secured to either the flightsuit or to the inside the flak vest panels. Attachment must be hidden by the flak vest. The lower part of the harness should fall (or loop) just below the inseam (or crotch area)

Two loops of strapping are connected to the front-back strapping (at the lowest part of the front-back loop) and loop around each leg, drooping no lower than the knees

The belt is worn over the front/back harness strap and is closed with a silver/gray “cargo slide” (or roll pin) style buckle. The free end of the belt is looped around the slide so that the excess belt is on the underneath/inside of the belt, not on top/outside of the belt. The right side of the belt contains 6 (six) vertical loops for mini-flares. Mini-flares are made of metal or other materials that, when finished, have a metallic silver appearance

5. Flak Vest, consists of white front and back cloth (ballistic nylon or similar fabric) panels, contoured to fit over the chest and back where the two panels are of a similar shape/size

The two panels are connected together by straps over the shoulder and under the arms

The flak vest MUST be proportional to the wearer (this is NOT one-size-fits-all), and the following details must be included:

The top of the front and back panels should begin at the base of the collar in front and approximately two inches below the collar in back. (Please refer to the reference pics where the flak vest begins right under the mandarin collar)

The bottom of the front and back panels are even and should completely cover the chest while not extending toward the waist any further than one-half to two-thirds the distance from the arm pit to the waist, and should allow for approximately 3” (inches) of visible flightsuit above the top of the belt

The front panel has a series of horizontal ribs. The ribs are created by inserting 0.25″ (inch) OD tubing (or similar sized material) through fabric tubes prepared for the tubing. Ribs are separated from each other by a space that is the same width as the finished rib

The pattern for rib placement on the front of the flak vest is as follows (from top to bottom):

i. Two equally spaced ribs at the top (near the collar). ii. Immediately below the two top ribs there is a flat wide area with eight horizontal rows of top stitching that is approximately 0.25″ (inch) apart (for a total of approximately 2” (inches) of flat area). This area is sometimes referred to as “The Gap”. iii. The remainder of the front panel, below the “The Gap” just described, contains a minimum of 8 – 9 ribs (total number of ribs will depend on the size of the wearer) that continues to the bottom edge of the front panel

Note: The side strap (described in 5.g. below) does not cross over the front panel. Vests with a missing rib on the lower front panel will not be approved

The back panel has a minimum of 16 equally spaced ribs (based on Luke’s ANH flak vest), again, the total number of ribs will depend on the size of the wearer). Again, the ribs are created by inserting 0.25″ (inch) OD tubing (or similarly sized material) through fabric tubes prepared for the tubing. Ribs are separated from each other by a space that is the same width as the finished rib. In addition, “The Gap”, as seen on the front panel is NOT present on the back panel

Ribbing on the front and back panels stop no more than one inch from each side (on left and right)

The shoulder straps are approximately 2″ (inches) wide and sewed in place to the inside of the flak vest panels, thus joining the front and back panels together. Each shoulder strap has rows of horizontal top-stitching (each about 0.25″ (inch) apart) across the short length of the strap (or perpendicular to the length of the strap). These stitches cover the entire strap, from front to back

The under-arm straps have one silver “press-release” style buckle on the left and right sides of the vest. The female half of the buckle is sewn to edge of the front panel. The male end is sewn to the end of the strap. Each strap continues back under the arms, and passes through a short sleeve sewn above the second or third rib from the bottom of the back panel. The left and right straps meet in the center, and are adjusted with a black/dark-grey “strap adjuster” style buckle. The excess strap lengths are either trimmed to length or tucked into the sleeves to present a neat appearance. These side straps should ride approximately 2″ – 4″ (inches) below the armpit depending on the size of the wearer

Be careful when checking references. When filming The Empire Strikes Back, the flak vests were worn “backwards” when compared to ANH and ROTJ

Note: Please be aware that flak vests from commercial vendors must meet costume standards and be screen accurate. Some commercially available flak vests require extensive modifications for approval

6. Accurate sized grey chest box with accurate decorations

Raised buttons (acrylic preferred) with acceptable colour schemes.

Separated rocker switches

Accurate knobs (metal or other materials that when finished have a metallic silver appearance.), details, pin stripes etc

1″ – 1.25″ (inches) diameter ribbed grey hose or aviation hose. One end of the hose should attach at the left-bottom of the chest box and the other end should connect to the suit in some screen-accurate manner (tucked up into the flak vest, attached to flightsuit etc)

Chest box is secured around the collar and the back with olive drab nylon/polypropylene/polyester/cotton(canvas) straps. The strap around the collar has no fasteners. The strap around the back has a silver or black “strap adjuster” style buckle in the back. Excess strap from should be either trimmed or otherwise hidden to present a neat appearance

The Chest box is worn low on the chest (with the top of the box near the bottom of “The Gap”) so the bottom (around the back) strap passes below or along the bottom of the front flak vest panel

7. Code Cylinders (Arm Tools) in left shoulder pocket

Two minimum, four maximum. Metal or other materials that when finished have a metallic silver appearance

White chin cup with black elastic straps. Elastic straps should be fixed to the inside of the helmet

Black weather stripping around the “ears” and neck borders

Paint scheme, including pin stripping and decorations should resemble those seen in the films. Blatant “modern-world” or other sci-fi-fantasy genre images/designs are NOT permitted. Helmets should look as though they belong in the Death Star Trench sequence

2. Mini-flares on belt. A mix of filled and empty slots are okay

Metal or other materials that, when finished, have a metallic silver appearance

PLEASE NOTE: The costume standards are a guide, yet are not an all inclusive outline of required elements. The judges will be looking for quality of workmanship, accurate execution and use of materials in addition to these general standards check lists. If you have a question about fabrics, colours, and parts choices for your build please contact the LCJs for your category about parts/materials you are considering before you start your build. (LCJ listing here)